Any first hand experience with a NorthStar AC with quiet intake?

[SouthernIllinois]

Does anyone have any experience with one of these NorthStar air compressors with the quiet intake?

For a single stage the CFM looks okay.

Would be used solely in a hobby level garage.

 

[Snapped-off]

Looks like the Emax compressor. Their better models get pretty good reviews with the silencer.

 

[Firebrick43]

Looks like the Emax compressor. Their better models get pretty good reviews with the silencer.

I don’t think it’s made by Eaton/Emax. The guarding is definitely different. But they seemed to of taken inspiration from their intake box styling and running the pump at low speeds for noise reduction.

I have an Eaton without the big intake box and I can talk on the cell right next to it running without the other end hearing it and I can understand them as well.

 

[Snapped-off]

I don’t think it’s made by Eaton/Emax. The guarding is definitely different. But they seemed to of taken inspiration from their intake box styling and running the pump at low speeds for noise reduction.

I have an Eaton without the big intake box and I can talk on the cell right next to it running without the other end hearing it and I can understand them as well.

Just looks like paint and stickers

 

[Firebrick43]

Just looks like paint and stickers

Looks like they now have two styles of guarding. All the ones I have seen have the rectangle box guards

 

[Snapped-off]

Looks like they now have two styles of guarding. All the ones I have seen have the rectangle box guards

Different pump and motor too. The first one looks more consumer-grade.

 

[Professor Fate]

I just received this compressor and hooked it up to my 3/4" Rapidair system. Volume flow rate was 150% of my old unit and was on sale so I pulled the trigger.

So far I can say it is quite a bit quieter than the 60 gal Kobalt it replaced (and significantly heavier). The pump is an Eaton V with disc valves and the motor is 230 Volt 1750 rpm unit with Airbase Industries Canton Ohio on the label. No idea where it was made. Comes with a 4 year warranty for consumer use.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

I just received this compressor and hooked it up to my 3/4" Rapidair system. Volume flow rate was 150% of my old unit and was on sale so I pulled the trigger.

So far I can say it is quite a bit quieter than the 60 gal Kobalt it replaced (and significantly heavier). The pump is an Eaton V with disc valves and the motor is 230 Volt 1750 rpm unit with Airbase Industries Canton Ohio on the label. No idea where it was made. Comes with a 4 year warranty for consumer use.

Have you been happy with this unit after a few months? I'm shopping around and these NorthStar units from Northern Tool really seem to be hard to beat on paper at this price point, but there isn't much first-hand experience online besides some YouTubers who are sponsored by Northern Tool. They seem to have spec'd better components than most consumer-grade units. Attention to detail like the ball valve on the oil drain instead of a square head pipe plug also makes it look like they put some thought into these. The low RPM pump and motor and intake silencer appeal to me since I am not able to separate my compressor from my workspace at this time. I'm a home gamer and my hungriest air applications would be a Harbor Freight sandblaster and die grinders. My little 30 gallon 110V unit won't keep up and it's time to upgrade. Thoughts after having some time with yours?

 

[Professor Fate]

After 6 plus months I can say I'm really happy with it. I have been using my blast cabinet a bunch lately and it has no problem keeping up and I can still hear the stereo while I'm working.

 

[Firebrick43]

No idea where it was made. Comes with a 4 year warranty for consumer use.

When I bought my Eaton a friend and I went to canton to pick them up. (He bought one as well)

We had a quick walk thru the facility. They make the tanks/pump plates, guarding, and silencers there and assemble them to the pumps, motors, and controls. They obviously don’t make the motors or controls and the pumps were made for them in china.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

When I bought my Eaton a friend and I went to canton to pick them up. (He bought one as well)

We had a quick walk thru the facility. They make the tanks/pump plates, guarding, and silencers there and assemble them to the pumps, motors, and controls. They obviously don’t make the motors or controls and the pumps were made for them in china.

Hmmm, now I see that the Polar Air 5 hp straight from Eaton's website is 20% off for July. Gets it down in the realm of the NorthStar price, but you get a pressurized lube oil system and continuous run option. They also put the pump on risers for better cooling. Even comes with an auto drain valve. Their warranty plan is a little confusing and I can't tell what the shipping cost would be.

 

[Firebrick43]

Hmmm, now I see that the Polar Air 5 hp straight from Eaton's website is 20% off for July. Gets it down in the realm of the NorthStar price, but you get a pressurized lube oil system and continuous run option. They also put the pump on risers for better cooling. Even comes with an auto drain valve. Their warranty plan is a little confusing and I can't tell what the shipping cost would be.

They have been good compressors for my friend and I. If I remember correctly it we bought in summer of 16.

He does a lot more than I do as he has an old air over hydraulic lift and runs a blast cabinet and all air tools.

Mine has been faultless and he needed to replace the gasket on the aftercooler as it started leaking.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

I think I will probably just roll on with the NorthStar 5 HP 60 gal. They have a $200 gift card with $1k purchase and I get 5% back there with my Northern Tool credit card. With Milwaukee and Stihl there and the store being 10 mins from my house, the $200 GC will get used for sure. Free delivery or $85 for a lift gate delivery. That Polar Air unit looks nice, but probably overkill for me. I'll add an auto drain valve and hack in my own aftercooler.

 

[MikeGA]

Ive been looking at both the 5hp 60 gal and the 7.7hp 80 gal Northstar compressor with with the silent air intake.

I was at Northern Tools yesterday and the 60gal compressor had an Eaton pump, the 80 gallon had an Eaton pump and also had Emax stickers on it.